Picture-molding fastener.



No, 740,046. I PATENTBD SEPT. 29, 1903.

A. F. SALSTROM.

PICTURE" MOLDING FASTENER. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 13, 1902.

10 MODEL.

UNITED STATES l atented September 29,1903.

AXEL F. SALSTROM, OF PA'XTON, ILLINOIS.

PICTURE-MOLDING FASTENER.

SP EOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,046, datedSeptember 29, 1903. Application filed November 18, 1902. Serial 1T0.131,894. Qt 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL F. SALSTROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Paxton, in the county of Ford and State of Illi the same tobe quicklyapplied to and removed from walls without injuring the same.The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of apicture-molding fastener 'constructed in accordance with this inventionand shown applied to a piece of molding. Fig. 2 is an enlargedperspective view of the fastener detached. Fig. 3 is a similar viewillustrating a modification of the invention in which the' fastener issecured. to the molding by tacks. Fig. 4. ma perspective view of anothermodification of the moldingfastener in which tongues are employed forsecuring the same to the molding. Fig. 5 is a similar View of anotherform of the invention in which a tack and-tongues are employed forsecuring it to the molding. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of amoldingfastener constructed of wire and having integral arms. Fig. 7 is aVertical sectional view of another form of molding-fastener constructedof wire and having horizontal bracingarms constructed of a separatepiece of material. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the form of fas tenerillustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a'detail perspective view illustratinga modification of the invention in' which the exteriorly-ae cessible eyeis located at the top of the mold ing at the back thereof. Fig. 10 is atransverse sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a molding-fastener constructed of a single piece of sheetmetal or other suitable material and consisting of a vertical bodyportion 2, extending above the molding 3 and provided with an opening 4,and the said body portion is provided at its bottom with dependingvertical supporting-arms 5 and an outwardly-extending horizontalnewing-arm d The bracing-arm 6 is preferably formed by cutting the blankor plate from which the fastener is constructed upward from the bottomat opposite sides of the center and then bending'the partially-severedintermediate portion outward to form the arm 6. The dependingsupporting-arms 5 fit against the rear face of the molding and aresecured to the same by angularly-disposed tongues 7, which are tapered,as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and which are embedded in the back of themolding, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The horizontal arm 6 extends forwardover the top of the molding and is provided with a perforation 8 for thereception of a tack 9 or other suitable fastening device, which isdriven into the top of the molding. Themolding-fastener is hung upon asuitable fastening device 10, such as a nail or screw,

which is received within the opening 4, as indicated in Fig. 1, and thisfastening device is located above the moldingto afford ready access toit, and the picture-molding fastener is adapted to be readily hung onthe fastening device 10, and it may be quickly removed therefrom withoutinjuring the wall. picture-molding is elevated, the fastener 1 will bepractically concealed from view, and in practice it will be constructedof a size to accomplish this end.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings is illustrated a picture-molding fastenerconstructed substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2, with theexception of the depending supporting-arms 11, which are provided withperforations 12 for the reception of tacks or other suitable fasteningdevices for securing the supporting-arms to theback of the molding. Thehorizontal bracing-arm 13 is also pro- As the I as vided with aperforation 14 for the reception of a tack or other fastening device forsecuring it to the top of the molding.

In the form of picture-molding fastener illustrated in Fig. 4 of thedrawings the arms 15 and 16 are tapered and are provided at their endswith lips or tongues 17 and 18, which are embedded in the top and backof the molding. The depending supportingarms 19 (shown in Fig. 5) aretapered and provided with tongues 20, and the horizontal arm 21 isconstructed much shorter than the horizontal arms of the previous formsto enable it to be connected with the molding adjacent to the rear facethereof.

The picture-molding fastener illustrated in Fig. 6 is constructed of asingle piece of wire which is bent to form the upper body portion 22,and the ends of the wire are bent at right angles to form the arms 23and 24,which terminate in tongues or spurs 25 and 26. These tongues areadapted to be embedded in the top and back of the molding. In Figs. 7and 8 the molding-fastener is constructed of two pieces of wire, onepiece being bent into approximately V shape to form the upper bodyportion and the depending supporting-arms 28, and the other piece beingbent into approximately rectangular form to provide a transverseconnecting portion 29 and bracing-arms 30. All of the arms terminate inspurs or tongues adapted to be embedded in the molding. The sides of thebody portion are provided with bends 31 to receive the transverseportion of the other piece of wire.

In Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings is illustrated a modification of theinvention, wherein the exteriorly-accessible eye for the reception ofthe fastening device for securing the molding to a wall is arranged atthe top of the molding at the back thereof. This fastener, which may beconstructed of any suitable material, such as wire or sheet metal, isshown in Figs. 9 and 10 made of a single piece of sheet metal andprovided with arms 32 and 33. The arms 32, which extend over the top ofthe molding, are bent downward or inward to embrace the same; but theymay be embedded in the top of the molding, as indicated in Fig. 7, andthe depending arms,which are arranged at the back of the molding, may

' be secured to the same by tacks, or they may be provided withinwardly-extending tongues or spurs adapted to be embedded in themolding. The arms, which are arranged approximately at right angles toeach other, are connected at the angle by a transverse body portion 34,which is offset from the molding to form an exteriorly-accessible eye,the molding being preferably recessed or cut away beneath the angle toexpose the eye more fully. The inner edges of the upper bracing-arms andthe lower depending supporting-arms preferably diverge, as shown in Fig.9; but they may be made of any other desired configuration. The form ofpicturemolding fastener last described may be constructed of severalpieces instead of a single piece of metal, as illustrated in thedrawings.

It will be seen that the picture-molding fastener is exceedingly simpleand inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength anddurability, and that it will enable picture-molding to be readilyapplied to and removed from the walls without injuring the latter.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion,size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the appendedclaims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

It will be observed that by the constructions shown in Figs. 4, 6, 7,and 8 of the drawings the downwardly-extending arms, as well as theforwardly-extending arms, of the device will be provided with integralprongs, barbs, or sharpened flanges adapted to be embedded in the woodof the molding, which is thereby firmly connected with the fastening. Itwill also be observed that these prongs or sharpened flanges areintegral with the said arms and, furthermore, that they are so disposedthat when driven into or otherwise connected with the top and back ofthe molding the prongs or flanges of the downwardly and the forwardlyextending arms will be disposed practically at right angles to eachother, thus forming an extremely firm and at the same time a very simplemeans of connection. Now it will be observed that in order to effectthis connection it is of prime importance that the downwardly and theforwardly projecting arms he possessed of some degree of resiliency orflexibility with relation to each other. By the usual method ofapplication the prongs or sharpened flanges at the lower ends of thedownwardly-extending arms will be first driven into the back of themolding, but at the same time it is necessary in order to insure theproper connection that the top of the molding should lie in contact withthe under side of the forwardlyextending arm or arms. Unless this werethe case the point of the prong or barb would be in contact with theupper edge of the molding while the barbs at the lower ends of thedownward-extending arms were driven. The subsequent driving of the barbsat the front ends of the horizontal arms could not then besatisfactorily effected.

In each of the constructions shown in the figures to which reference hasbeen made the material of which the device is constructed is resilient,and the pronged or barbed arms may thus properly be described aspossessing flexibility with relation to each other. By the constructionspecially indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 the natural flexibility of thematerial is not wholly relied upon, but the forwardlyextending barbedarms are connected hingedlywith the body having the downwardlyextendingbarbed arms,'so that a positivelyflexible connection or hinge connectionis offected. p 7

What is claimed is- 1. A picture-molding fastener comprising i a bodyportion-having forwardly-extending and downwardly-extending armsprovided with integral means to engage, respectively, the top and theback of the molding, said arms being possessed of flexibility withrelation'to each other and to the body of the device,

2. A picture-molding fastener comprising a body portion havingforwardly-extending and downwardly-extending arms provided with integralmeans to engage, respectively, the top and the back of the molding, saidarms being'hingedly'connected with each other.

i 3. A picture-molding fastener having flexi AXEL F. SALSTROM.

Witnesses FRANK LINDLEY, LooKn ORUM.

